Old Dominion officials have known about Donte Hill's eligibility issue since he transferred in the winter of 2011, a source confirmed, but are following standard procedure in asking the NCAA to grant him one more season.

"We're in the process of gathering information and filing an appeal to the NCAA," new ODU basketball coach Jeff Jones said. "We're hopeful that we can get Donte an additional year of eligibility."

Jones said that he learned of Hill's situation during the interview process. He said that Hill and ODU officials have known about his eligibility issue "for a while," but was unclear how long prior to his hiring April 4.

An ODU source said that school officials have known about Hill's status "all along." They knew that they would have to file an appeal with the NCAA eventually, in order for him to be eligible as a fifth-year player.

Asked why Hill's situation wasn't resolved before now, a source said that they believe addressing eligibility issues when they arise is "the norm." Hill had 11/2 seasons of eligibility assured after his transfer to ODU, but that final year was subject to NCAA approval.

Jones said that nothing was mishandled and that ODU is simply following standard process.

Hill's final year of eligibility is in question because of an NCAA rule that states that any contest against another school counts against an upperclass athlete's eligibility. He played in a preseason scrimmage at Clemson at the beginning of his sophomore year before sitting out the first half of the season awaiting transfer.

Hill, a Virginia Beach native, transferred to ODU for the 2011 spring semester. After sitting out the requisite year for Division I transfers, he became eligible at the conclusion of the 2011 fall semester.

The 6-foot-4 wing was one of ODU's most versatile players. He led the Monarchs in minutes played last season and lined up everywhere from point guard to power forward. He averaged 8.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. But he struggled with his shot (.387 percent FG) as he often played out of position and assumed a leadership mantel for a young, inexperienced team that slumped to a 5-25 overall record.

Hill is far and away ODU's most experienced player for a team that will be quite young again, as well as adjusting to a new coaching staff and a new league — Conference USA. The Monarchs had six freshmen last season and will add three recruits for the upcoming season: Jordan Baker from Hampton, Ramone Snowden from Virginia Beach and Denzell Taylor from Toronto, by way of a New Jersey prep school.

"I hope it works out for Donte and us," Jones said, "but I wouldn't begin to predict how the NCAA will rule."

Though the NCAA rule clearly states that even exhibitions and closed scrimmages against other schools count toward an upperclass athlete's eligibility, there is recent precedent for leniency.

In 2011, the NCAA suspended Notre Dame's Tim Abromaitis four games for participating in two exhibitions before the 2008-09 season. He didn't play that season, as Irish coaches believed they were preserving a year of eligibility.

Notre Dame coach Mike Brey admitted misreading the rule, since freshmen are allowed to play in exhibitions and scrimmages without it counting toward a year of eligibility. He discovered the error, he said, midway through the 2008-09 season and reported it to the school's compliance office.